Three Predators draft picks will each be seeking to capture their first Stanley Cup when the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers begin the NHL’s championship series Wednesday at 7 p.m. CT.

At least one will claim it.

The Oilers feature a pair of Swedes drafted by Nashville: 35-year-old defenseman Mattias Ekholm (fourth round, 2009 NHL Draft) and 32-year-old forward Viktor Arvidsson (fourth round, 2014 NHL Draft).

Florida has defenseman Seth Jones, who was Nashville’s first-round selection in the 2013 NHL Draft, chosen with the fourth overall pick. Jones is the son of Popeye Jones, a Dresden native and 11-year NBA veteran who played collegiately at Murray State from 1988-92.

All three of the draft picks were eventually traded by Nashville.

Ekholm will be getting his third crack at winning the Cup, as he was on the Predators team that reached the finals in 2017 before losing to Pittsburgh in six games. He was also a member of the Edmonton team that lost in seven games to Florida last season.

The 6-5, 225-pound Ekholm spent 12 seasons in Nashville, and he ranks sixth in career games played for the franchise (719) and 10th in career points (268).

He was traded to Edmonton in February of 2023 when the Preds began clearing salary-cap room.

In exchange for Ekholm and a sixth-round pick in 2024, Nashville received Edmonton’s first-round pick in 2023 (used to select defenseman Tanner Molendyk), the Oilers’ fourth-round pick in 2024 (which eventually became prospect forward Victor Norringer), defenseman Ty Barrie and prospect forward Reid Schaefer.

Part of the Oilers’ top defensive pairing, Ekholm has just returned to the lineup from a late-season, lower-body injury. He came back for the Oilers’ clinching Game 5 win against Dallas in the Western Conference Final, picking up an assist in that contest.

The 5-10, 185-pound Arvidsson played seven years in Nashville, totaling 239 points (127 goals, 112 assists) in 385 games. He ranks seventh in career goals for the Preds.

Nashville dealt Arvidsson to Los Angeles in July of 2021, receiving a 2021 second-round pick (eventually packaged as part of a trade to draft forward Zach L’Heureux) and a 2022 third-round pick (defenseman Kasper Kulonummi).

Arvidsson, like Ekholm, was a member of the 2016-17 Nashville team that went to the Stanley Cup Final. During the 2024-25 regular season, Arvidsson totaled 27 points (15 goals, 12 assists) in 67 contests. He’s been a healthy scratch a few times in the playoffs, but has five points (one goals, four assists) in 11 postseason contests.

The 6-4, 213-pound Jones was the second-highest draft pick in Predators history, topped only by David Legwand, who was chosen No. 2 overall in 1998.

Jones spent just two-and-a-half seasons with Nashville, however, totaling 63 points (15 goals, 48 assists) in 199 contests. He was traded to Columbus in January 2016, with the Preds receiving center Ryan Johansen in exchange.

The Panthers acquired Jones from Chicago just before the trade deadline in March, and he’s quickly become a valuable piece for a Florida team seeking its second straight Cup.

In a combined 38 regular season and playoff contests, Jones has totaled 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) while averaging almost 25 minutes of ice time per contest.